


Empirical Evidence

by DearCat



Series: A little hollow [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Dark, Feral Behavior, Hollowfication, M/M, Pack Dynamics, Possessive Behavior
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:01:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25532539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearCat/pseuds/DearCat
Summary: The thing is, Kisuke knows himself. He knows the darkness he hides under his skin.
Relationships: Kurosaki Ichigo/Urahara Kisuke
Series: A little hollow [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1388218
Comments: 56
Kudos: 626





	Empirical Evidence

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, this took far too long but Kisuke wasn’t cooperating with me, alright? The point is that I did it and I do think my writing has gotten better so there’s that.  
> Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes! I know! I honestly needed a bit more of a mental health break then I expected but alas, I am back. 
> 
> As promised, the beginning of Kisuke's POV. 
> 
> I'll get to publishing the late updates over the course of this month. With some Tumblr drabbles too.

Kisuke is a genius and he knows it. It has always been his brain over his power that has led him to where he is now. For better or for worse. Which is why surprise is something he is not used to feeling. But he has felt it. Humility has been forced upon him by Aizen, that much is true. It doesn’t change the fact that not many can stand against Kisuke on a strategy game. 

Going against Aizen would be almost amusing if the collateral were any less devastating. Or if it tasted less like a failure on his tongue. And still… In that dark corner of his mind, Kisuke has long learned to keep hidden, Kisuke admits to himself that he’s almost relieved by it. 

He never voices it, of course. He’s very aware of what the general reaction to such a statement would be. It’s just that Kisuke knows himself. Terrible things can happen when Kisuke is both curious and bored. And he’s always curious. He’s lost count of the many times it almost got him killed.

It doesn’t hurt that Kisuke’s pride has also taken a severe hit. He’s not used to being beaten, he can barely remember the last time such a thing happened. And to lose to another in his own game? To a player who he has mistaken for a simple piece? Kisuke would like to bite back, he’s not used to being bested. 

And then, he personally meets Kurosaki Ichigo and suddenly surprise is a frequent companion. 

Kisuke should be able to better predict the boy, he really should. He has watched the boy grow, albeit from afar. But he can’t. Every time he thinks he has the boy figured out, Kurosaki does something unexpected and Kisuke finds himself back to the drawing board.

Kisuke both loves it and hates it. 

He loves the challenge of it, loves the trouble that seems to follow the younger man everywhere. It keeps Kisuke entertained. He loves the way the teenager defies expectations, creates new paths were even Kisuke has not seen them before. It leaves Kisuke scrambling behind him, doing his best at either salvaging or adapting his plans. The scientist loves every minute of it. 

If Kisuke had the time, because he definitely doesn’t lack the inclination, he’d sit back and enable Kurosaki. He’d watch until he finally understands. Kisuke is sure he’d enjoy it.

He hates the timing, though. 

Kisuke is a puppet-master and now is not the time to have one of his pieces ignoring the script. He hates his own curiosity sometimes, too. He hates the way he sees Kurosaki and can’t help the way he itches to try and see what makes the younger man tick. It’s one of the reasons the teenager is rarely allowed in his lab. 

It’d be a waste, he thinks, to cut this much potential short. 

He’s ambivalent about the possessiveness, Kisuke knows himself, after all. From the second he took him on, the teenager became his. His first and only student, his most important piece. Kisuke grew up in the outskirts of one of the worst sections of Rukongai, where food was scarce and one had to fight and kill for every scrap. He doesn’t even remember his first kill.

It’s safe to say: Kisuke does not share. 

Oh, he’ll get his student the best tutors Kisuke can find for him, make sure he’s ready. But tutors is all they will be, Kisuke will be the teacher. All they have is a supporting role. It’s not a problem with Yoruichi or Tessai, they know each other well enough, long enough. They know better than to try. 

It becomes a problem with the vizards who are intent of calling his little student one of their own. They think he’s theirs and it pisses Kisuke off. But his little student needs help so he can control his hollow and needs must. So, he calls on them anyway. The following conversation with Hirako would sound cheerful and amicable to anybody who knows neither of them. 

Hirako grew up in Rukongai, too.

Which is why Kisuke is so silently pleased when Kurosaki comes to him instead of taking on Hirako’s proposal. Even if he’s exasperated as well. There’s a script, stop breaking it. So he sends Kurosaki to Hirako, even as he makes sure Hirako knows the only reason Kurosaki would so much as look at him is because Kisuke asked it of him. 

And if he’s a little too smug about it, well… Nobody needs to know. Except for Hirako, obviously. But the former captain of the fifth is not about to tattle so it matters not.

Not that Kurosaki has the decency to do it, either. 

No, his student and his group of little friends come up with a solution Kisuke hasn’t thought of. It’s nice in its simplicity even as it is the height of stupidity. Hueco Mundo is never safe but travelling to the place while it’s on Aizen’s domain and thinking the man won’t notice? Idiotic.

And yet… Well, Kisuke is curious. And bored. So he shrugs, gets his student a babysitter and banks on Aizen being just as curious. Hiding it from Soul Society is not even that hard, they really need a better information network. Not that Kisuke is about to help them out on that. 

It pays off. 

Kurosaki comes back so pleased he’s practically purring. All baby predator gratified to have found its teeth. It’s… cute. In a way that Kisuke hadn’t been expecting. It is also slightly exasperating. Still, the blonde likes to sit back and observe, look at his little student reactions and make sense of them. It’s interesting. 

He watches the way Kurosaki clings to his friends, the way he touches them, cuddles up to them. At first, Kisuke thinks that maybe the boy is scared or lonely but it doesn’t take him long to realize that it is a completely different thing. Oh, Kurosaki is wary of his role in the future war, Kisuke would not waste his time on a fool. But that’s not what makes him so physical in his affection.

No, the answer lies in another path. 

It’s like watching Yoruichi at her most affectionate. Or at her most possessive. Kisuke briefly wonders at it, at what it says about his student or his best friend. He wonders whether he’ll find a fight in his hands, soon enough. Then he disregards it because, at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. Kisuke is curious, yes, but he has no time to indulge in the distraction. And Yoruichi wouldn’t kill Kurosaki, so there’s that.

He still notices things.

The teenager becomes playful in a way he wasn’t before. And Kisuke, well he’s fond enough, curious enough to let him get away with it. So he allows his hat to be stolen and pretends to gripe and whine about it, makes silly and baseless threats and hides his smile at the smugness radiating from both Yoruichi and Kurosaki. 

His fan is serviceable like that.

Kisuke keeps arranging those trips to Hueco Mundo and tells himself he’s doing it because he’s curious and not because he’s attached. But Kisuke knows himself, he knows he’s possessive and he has always taken care of his own. He’s happy with the results, even if somewhat exasperated at Kurosaki’s constant attempts of touching him.

Kisuke… Well, he doesn’t do touch. So he avoids the touches as best he can and ignores the pouts and the grumbling. He builds an engawa so that Kurosaki has a more comfortable place to lounge under the sun. He still gets rid of the damn nest, Kisuke fastidiously makes sure there’s no blood on his shop other than his lab. Kurosaki is not allowed to ruin that. 

His student doesn't take it well but no matter how much Yoruichi reproaches him, Kisuke doesn’t even feel guilty about doing it. He’ll do it again, should the teenager try once more. Though Kurosaki does a really good kicked puppy impression. The younger man gets over it and that’s what matters. 

Still, it feels like Kurosaki is testing the boundaries, seeing just how much he can get away with. And although Kisuke could understand that, has done that, it also feels like they’re both talking different languages and it irks Kisuke. He doesn’t know, doesn’t understand, and his whole life has taught him that not knowing gets you killed. 

It pisses him off, so Kisuke sits back and observes. He will understand, long before it becomes a liability. 

And then the ridiculous Arrancar shows up in his shop. 

Kisuke is more amused by it than anything else, he doesn’t even remember this individual, he has no idea on what sort of vendetta it might have had against him nor does he particularly care. Kisuke is an assassin, if he started worrying about every individual he ever crossed, he would never leave the shop again. 

Kurosaki takes offence, though. 

His little student drops its body at Kisuke’s feet after one of his trips to Hueco Mundo. And Kisuke, well, he hadn’t particularly  _ cared _ but that doesn’t stop the shot of pleasure that warms his gut. Kurosaki beams at him for it and Kisuke finally has to admit to himself that he’s fond, oh so fond. 

The part of him that he so carefully keeps hidden, with its claws and bloodied smile, sits up and takes notice. Kisuke wonders, a little distractedly, if it would purr, had it been able to. He hides his smile behind his fan but he doesn’t bother hiding his pleasure. It breaks the carefully crafted persona of the harmless, eccentric shopkeeper but...

It feels nice, it’s a great feeling. Kisuke feels possessive. 

And proud. 

Which is why he doesn’t appreciate Hirako butting in. 

“What are ya  _ doin’ _ ?!” The other blonde throws his recriminations at him, once they’re finally on their own. “It’s one thing ta train da boy but another ta allow this!”

And Kisuke knows what he’s really thinking. They think Kisuke is just like Aizen, except that he’s on their side. They think he’s taking the boy and twisting him up inside so he can break him into something he would like. Kisuke has done none of these things, if anything, he has simply been facilitating Ichigo into becoming who he wants to be.

He could if he wanted. But he hasn’t.

Not that he owes them any sort of explanation. Not even to Hirako. Not even to Hirako who is, perhaps, the closest to Kisuke but far more successful in his crafted persona. So Kisuke lets a little of his facade drop, lets himself show the monster deep inside. “He’s mine.”

Kisuke almost smiles at the sudden wariness on the other blonde. Oh, they’re both powerful and Hirako is older, more experienced. But Kisuke is smarter, far more vicious and they’re in his territory. Besides, the hollowification might have made them even more powerful but Kisuke can destabilize them easily enough. 

They’d be easy pickings then and they both know this. 

Hirako rallies, regardless. “He’s not a pet for ya ta own.”

At that, Kisuke does smile. “No, he’s not,” he concedes. “He’s mine, nonetheless.”

It falls around them, this declaration of his, like battle lines being drawn. 

The former Captain leaves but it doesn’t end there.

Not that Kisuke is paying much attention to it. He’s a little more invested in the unexpected onslaught of new subjects to analyze. It’s incredibly stimulating and still, Kisuke finds himself more often than not distracted while he’s in his lab. Because the teenager is  _ hunting _ for him and that… That’s incrementally more interesting.

And far more intriguing. 

Kisuke is  _ fascinated _ . Because he knows well enough what the usual reactions to his life’s work are. He’s the mad scientist in the lab whose contributions are welcome but whose presence isn’t. People do not trust him, most don’t even like him and those who do mostly ignore what happens in his lab. 

Out of sight, out of mind. 

There’s a reason why Kisuke has such a well-crafted facade. Omni just helped him refine it. Soifon fell for it, the poor fool. Hook, line and sinker. And Kisuke sometimes itches to show her the depth of her own stupidity. It’s Yoruichi who, warily, keeps him in check in that regard. Tessai either doesn't care or is too cautious to interfere.

But the teenager hunts for him, he brings prey to deposit at Kisuke’s feet after every visit to Hueco Mundo. And beams with pleasure, chest puffing up when Kisuke takes them from him. Neither one of them spares a glance to the vizards when they show up. All Kurosaki seems to care for is Kisuke’s reaction.

It’s pleasing. 

Kisuke knows his student, knows the younger man’s style and abilities. He knows how he fights. When Kurosaki fights, his enemies are never left in good condition unless the teenager lost or the fight was friendly. But the prey he brings Kisuke is always carefully dealt with, in as close as perfect condition as the young man can manage.

And the blonde wonders whether Kurosaki does it because he has picked up that Kisuke likes it better that way or because he knows what Kisuke does with it. And if he knows, doesn’t it bother him? Does he care? He looks and wonders and finally, he tests it.

He invites his student to his lab, no clean up done beforehand. The latest set of prey Kurosaki brought him is still opened up on a metal table, organs on display. And when the younger man sees them, he beams. It feels Kisuke with such dark satisfaction that it makes him pause.

See? It says,  _ see _ ? Finally, somebody who understands, who accepts it without blinking an eye. And he’s  _ his.  _ Kisuke is not letting this one go.

Once upon a time, he had thought Yuroichi might be it. Or Tessai. She wasn’t. He wasn’t. They’re still loyal to each other but they weren’t it. Kurosaki, though… Oh, he’s Kisuke’s now, every single little part of him and Kisuke won’t let this one go. 

Hirako be damned. 

Which is why it pisses him off when he finds the mangled body of the Arrancar on his doorstep. Oh, he’s displeased at the blood seeping into the wood, if only for the work that will be required for cleaning that up. But that’s an annoyance at best. No, that’s not the problem. 

No.

Kisuke knows his student, he makes a point of it. So he takes a long look at the mangled body at his feet and he  _ knows. _

And he rages.

His silly little student is injured. He’s injured enough that even his stubborn self knows to seek medical attention. That’s alright, Kisuke can understand. What has him utterly still in an effort not to lose control is the fact that Kurosaki needed medical attention and he didn’t seek it from Kisuke himself.

Hasn’t Kisuke proven he’s good at it? 

It’s something Kisuke can provide with ease and Kurosaki saw fit to look for it somewhere else anyway. At least he didn’t go for Hirako. There’s that as a consolation prize. Kisuke breathes in, steps over the body at his feet and makes his way to Orihime’s place.

He puts on his mask more firmly when the girl opens the door. Not well enough, it would seem, given the way the girl pales as she looks at him. Kisuke doesn’t even bother to ask, he just looks at her with a smile and waits. 

“Mister Urahara… Uhm… He’s ok now, just tired… He’s… He’s sleeping.”

Kisuke hums at that and steps forward, ignoring the way she scrambles away from the door but remains around, twisting her hands nervously. He follows the trail of blood on the wooden floor until he reaches the couch and then kneels to take a better look.

His poor silly little student. True to her word, he’s fine now. But Kisuke can still tell where the cuts used to be. Orihime still needs training with her powers. As does his student, it would seem. And it’s not the only lesson Kurosaki needs to learn.

He reaches forward, hand combing through surprisingly soft hair before continuing downwards. Kisuke grips the back of Kurosaki’s neck and is slightly mollified by the way the teenager pushes up into the caress. Not all the way, of course. The blonde still very much plans to show his little student the error of his ways. There are important lessons to learn.

But Kisuke is not fit to give them just yet. He’s too angry, too eager to hurt. He needs to calm down first and then, only then, will he show his student what an awful mistake the teenager has made. He’ll make sure Kurosaki doesn’t do anything this foolish again.

Kisuke stands up and leaves. 

He doesn’t look back.

After the whole mess with the Arrancars, Kisuke even thinks he has it figured it out. Well, after the second mess with the Arrancars. The one that had Kurosaki pressing against Kisuke like a scared kitten. 

Though it had blindsided him a little. People don’t usually come to him for reassurance. His cute little student, apparently, does. But then again, his cute little student is not ‘normal’ by any stretch and well… Kisuke glories in it. 

But then Kurosaki goes to Orihime for healing and Kisuke has a temper. So he distances himself for a moment, just long enough that he knows his displeasure won’t permanently harm his pupil. 

The way it makes the boy shift uneasily, scowling and grumbling, is just an unexpected bonus. It’s nice to be reminded that Kurosaki might be fond of him, unusually so but has no misconceptions about who Kisuke himself is, about his capabilities. The agreement to Kisuke’s proposed spar is apprehensive but somewhat eager.

Another interesting thing that Kisuke will soon enough analyze. 

He throws the brat around his training ground, harshly enough that Kisuke  _ knows _ he’ll be feeling it for a while. He pulls back killing blow after killing blow and makes sure that Kurosaki knows that’s what he’s doing. His student still tries his best, of course, gets up time and time again. 

It helps mitigate a little of Kisuke’s anger. There’s something about Kurosaki’s relentlessness that is endearing. 

However, that also means that Kisuke whats the matter clarified yesterday. So he slaps the back of his student’s knees with his Benehime to unbalance him, grabs the teenager by the shoulder and throws him to the ground. Kisuke himself follows him to the dirt, clamping a hand around Kurosaki’s throat before they make contact. 

Kisuke settles his weight on top of his student and stops, breathing calmly through his mouth and giving himself a moment to settle his bloodlust. It wouldn’t do to kill his own apprentice in a moment of overeagerness. 

Kurosaki still manages to surprise him. His student goes limp with a whine. It stops Kisuke’s line of thought, enough for him to blink and then smile. Because ah, this makes far more sense now, hadn’t he been thinking that Kurosaki behaves like Yoruichi herself does when the feline side of her is closer to the surface. 

But where Yoruichi keeps that side mostly suppressed, Kurosaki relies on it, expresses it freely. 

Well, animal instincts are easy enough to understand, easy enough to deal with. Kisuke himself is more predator than a man if he allows himself to be. So Kisuke changes his hold, demands submission and chuckles when his cute little student bares his throat, clearly torn between listening to him and the hand on his throat. 

Using the same voice he used to command his squad back in Omni, Kisuke demands his student’s regard. “Pay attention, Kurosaki-kun,” the words are soft and unyielding. The dark amusement in his chest grows at how unthinkingly they’re followed.  _ Mine _ , something inside him whispers.  _ Ours _ , Benehime corrects. 

Kisuke lets it settle, “the next time you need help, you come to me.”

That, apparently, is confusing, but his cute little student nods nonetheless. Kisuke does nothing to hide his enjoyment and half-expects Kurosaki to at least glower but none of it comes. So Kisuke mentally shrugs and decides to push, “a verbal answer, Kurosaki-kun.”

And yes, there. Kisuke’s own relaxation gives his student the idea that he’s free to sulk. Kisuke will correct that, of course, but he’s calm enough now, fond enough, that his only reprimand is a slight tightening of his hold on Kurosaki’s throat. 

It prompts the right answer. “I will,” Kurosaki confirms.

Good. There’s a big part of Kisuke that wants to mark Kurosaki’s skin, wants the visible proof of his student’s easy submission, his trust. So Kisuke nuzzles the hybrid instead, both in reward and as a distraction to himself. “You will what?” The prompt earns him a whine of protest but Kisuke lets that go.

“I will come to you if I need help.”

Yes, he will. Kisuke will not be as kind a second time. Still, Kisuke loosens his grip, gives his student more freedom of movement and nuzzles him again, smiles a little when Kurosaki returns the favour. 

Standing is a bit of a chore if only because he wants to bask in the power he holds in his hands, wants to keep Kurosaki where he is, sweet and soft and  _ his _ . Not yet, though, it wouldn’t do to startle him. So he stands regardless, watches in silent possessive amusement as his cute little student slowly regains his bearings. 

He waits, calmly and almost a little anticipatory, for the rebuke. He knows his prickly student and now that he’s not off-balance, Kisuke wants to see how he’ll react. But Kurosaki’s body is angled towards him, hesitant but bordering on clingy, and all he does is lower his eyes and grumble his discontent. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next updates:**  
>  Flawed Skin (KHR Rare Pair Week but X27) (Day 2) - August 9  
> Empirical Evidence Chapter. 2 - August 26

**Author's Note:**

>  **My social media**  
>  1\. [Tumblr,](dearcat1.tumblr.com) drabbles.  
> 2.[Twitter](https://twitter.com/DearCat24), snippets and random thoughts.  
> \--> [Current thread of Threads](https://twitter.com/DearCat24/status/1277669236496834562?s=19) contains:  
> ● Empirical Evidence Ch. 2  
> ● KHR Rare Pair Week but X27  
> ● My Wrath and Yours Ch. 2


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